Bone may be subject to degeneration caused by trauma, disease, and/or aging. Degeneration may destabilize bone and affect surrounding structures. For example, destabilization of a spine may result in alteration of a natural spacing between adjacent vertebrae. Alteration of a natural spacing between adjacent vertebrae may subject nerves that pass between vertebral bodies to pressure. Pressure applied to the nerves may cause pain and/or nerve damage. Maintaining the natural spacing between vertebrae may reduce pressure applied to nerves that pass between vertebral bodies. A spinal stabilization procedure may be used to maintain the natural spacing between vertebrae and promote spinal stability.
Spinal stabilization may involve accessing a portion of the spine through soft tissue. Conventional stabilization systems may require a large incision and/or multiple incisions in the soft tissue to provide access to a portion of the spine to be stabilized. Conventional procedures may result in trauma to the soft tissue, for example, due to muscle stripping.
United States Patent Publication No. 2008/0051781 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,011,660 show systems to insert a rod that uses a sextant like device to guide a rod to a surgical site. However, these systems require that an additional incision be made some distance from the surgical site leading to an additional area that must heal. In addition, the spinal stabilization rod must tunnel through tissue for an extended distance before reaching the surgical site.